Many houses are built with a below ground level basement, and, as building technics have changed, the basement areas are more frequently used for living areas. Particularly where the basement may be kept dry, it adds a considerable amount of inexpensive floor area to a residence. As the usual place for a furnace and a hot water heater is in a basement, a potential hazard for occupants of the basement is apparent. Also, if a fire originates in a basement, the usual path for the smoke and flames is up the stairwell to the next higher level, generally blocking the only exist from the basement.
Usual basement windows are not only small, but are high and difficult to open. Adults have a difficult time in escaping from the basement by conventional basement windows, and children find it virtually impossible. Smoke is one of the greatest hazards as it blinds persons, and in such a confined place as a basement, chokes and sufficates them. Escape from a basement filed with smoke and flames is not feasible up the stairwell due to the natural draft bringing smoke and flames up the stairwell. But escape through the normal basement window is, likewise, very difficult or impossible, especially for children.
The prior art is rather deficient in addressing the problem and providing a solution. An early patent to Mowrey U.S. Pat. No. 937,710 of Oct. 19, 1909 shows an exterior fire escape comprising a folding staircase from an upper level of a building. The folding staircase is folded against the exterior of the building and is released by releasing a lock mechanism. The door leading to staircase can not be opened until the stairs have completely unfolded to the ground.
A folding disappearing stairway from a floor level to an attic is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,393,759 to Eakin Jan. 29, 1946. This provides access to an upper floor, but does not show how it could be suitable for a basement.
A folding fire escape stored, on an above ground floor, inside a building adjacent a window is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,175 of Sept. 15, 1958. The escape is a scissored ladder which swings out through the window opening and it then unfolds as it drops to the ground.
A combination door and ladder for an aircraft in U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,975 to Moreno et al of July 3, 1951 shows a cable supported ladder that unfolds from the exterior of an upper level of a building to a lower ground level after the door is opened.
An emergency exit through an above ground, opened window is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,452 to Bourdunis of Sept. 25, 1962. The folded ladder is held inside the window and is pivoted to the outside for use.